Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Angharad Gamble is a costume maker based in Barry, South Wales who also makes the most wonderful hats and fascinators in her spare time, under the name of Angharad Gamble Millinery. We would show you a picture of her but she says that there are "no acceptable photos of me available at this time, must do something about that" - so we'll represent her instead with one of her incredible pieces of headwear.

Turn heads in one of Angharad's super-stylish creations

1. Hi Angharad, how long have you been making hats?

I've been doing this for lmost ten years now, as part of my job as a costume maker. Promoting my millinery in its own right is a more recent departure

2. What inspired you to start?

Millinery was one of the specialist skills I learnt as part of my costume making degree. I loved it and have been making hats ever since. As there aren't as many commissions for headwear as part of my job, events like "It's darling!" are the perfect excuse to make them just for the sake of it and to take commissions for people to make the hat they always wanted. And with vintage and handmade sellers and like minded creative people all gathered together in the same place on the 17th, who could resist taking part?!

Angharad will be taking commissions to make the hat you always dreamed of

I'm inspired a lot by the hat styles of the earlier 20th century. Sometimes a trimming (usually vintage) will send me off to my stash to hunt out the perfect felt, straw or fabric to set it off. On other ocassions, it's a shape that will inspire me. I can often be found in the homewares departments of local stores turning dishes etc upside down to see if they'll make a nice hat block! My absolute favourite hats to make, however, are my miniature and tiny silk top hats. So cute.

3. What's your secret passion?

You might think that as a costume maker I would get immune to it, but I do love to dress up in a proper-no-holds-barred costume ball way. I don't get chance to that often, so the opportunity to make something for myself and to use some of those special treasures from my stash so I get to keep them is a bit of a guilty pleasure : )

4. What's your three second wisdom?

Enjoy what you do.

A cherry fascinator

5. What's your desert island survival pack?

A VERY large sun hat, my sewing kit and my dogs for entertainment and company : )

6. What in your life would you say is "It's darling!"?

My dogs - an irresistably darling duo.

Her best boys

Angharad is in the process of setting up a website, so in the meantime please email her if you would like to know more. And come and try some of her hats on the 17th!

Our next "It's Darling!" event will take place at Jumble Jelly Haberdashery in Bradford-on-Avon on 29th November 2011. We are working in partnership with them to promote their shop for Christmas by filling their beautiful store with a selection of our handmade and vintage stalls. The lights are being switched on in the town that day and there will be food and fun for all, plus lots of great Christmas shopping.

For more information, visit the links at the top of this page, and come and join us on Facebook and Twitter (@itsdarlingfair).